Thanks, Aunt Estelle
by vanessa1
Summary: Xander gets some advice on how to help Buffy


Thanks, Aunt Estelle  
  
Author: vanessa  
  
E-mail: vkincaid@shreve.net  
  
Summary: Xander gets some advice on how to help Buffy  
  
Disclaimer: Buffy and Co belong to Joss and Co. But Aunt Estelle is mine, all mine.  
  
Feedback: Please, please, oh, pretty please?  
  
  
  
Xander oh so did not want to be here.  
  
Xander had never liked visiting his Aunt Estelle, even as a kid. He thought she had smelled funny and had mean eyes. The truth was, she had scared him. The truth is, she still did. And Xander had never been all that comfortable around old people. Giles was bad enough, but really old people gave him the creeps. They reminded him too much of what he had to look forward to.  
  
Xander wished he had never told Anya he even had an Aunt Estelle, who was actually his great-aunt on his mother's side. Anya didn't like being around old people any better than he did, but had decided to make an exception for Aunt Estelle. "After all, we're practically family." In a surprising burst of "be kind to the elderly" generosity, Anya had decided that it would be a really good thing if she and Xander fixed lunch for Aunt Estelle once a week.  
  
Xander had been horrified and flatly refused. "Anya, you don't know. She smells funny and she has mean eyes."  
  
Anya had simply said, "Oh, Xander", in the tone she used when she thought he was being silly. Xander knew a lost argument when he saw one.  
  
Now, the current chapter of what Xander referred to as "My Whipped Life" found him sitting in Aunt Estelle's living room, watching her eye him suspiciously. Anya had surprised him by actually liking the old lady. She admired her sharp tongue and fiery spirit, the very qualities that had Xander perched on the edge of his chair, ready to race to the door at the slightest provocation. Adding to his state of stress was the fact that Anya was busy in the kitchen making tuna fish sandwiches, leaving Xander alone, charged with the daunting task of "entertaining" his aunt.  
  
"So, I hear you two are getting hitched." Xander thought the look she gave him was downright sinister. Or maybe she just had a sour stomach.  
  
"That's right, Aunt Estelle."  
  
"Don't call me that!"  
  
"You told me last time to call you Aunt Estelle."  
  
"I changed my mind."  
  
Xander sighed. Of course she did. She always did. Just like she'd change it again next week.  
  
"You don't seem very happy about it."  
  
"About what? Oh, getting married. Sure I am Au - uh, Estelle. I've got other things on my mind is all."  
  
"Humph."  
  
"No, really, I'm very happy to be getting married. Thrilled in fact."  
  
Aunt Estelle looked at him and then glanced towards the kitchen in speculation. "Uh-huh, sure."  
  
Xander knew he had to do some damage control before his dear aunt told everyone he was getting married with a shotgun at his back. "The thing is, well, I have this friend that I'm worried about. She's been really depressed lately." Xander thought that had to be the understatement of the year. Buffy had died and had then been yanked out of heaven. He was amazed she was doing as well as to be really depressed. "I want to help her, but I don't know how."  
  
"Depressed, huh? You know, they've got drugs for that."  
  
Xander hadn't thought of that. But after a moment he shook his head. "I don't think that's really what Buffy needs right now."  
  
"Make her laugh."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Did I stutter, boy? I said, make her laugh."  
  
"But, like I said, she's depressed, and..."  
  
Aunt Estelle rolled her eyes. "Look, I was once young and stupid and prone to self-pity. Found myself in a real black mood, wandering around not knowing where I was going, not caring. Found myself trying to decide between throwing myself off of the Front Street Bridge or going to a movie. Made no never mind to me. Fortunately the coin toss came up movie and I went. "Arsenic and Old Lace". You know it?"  
  
"Uh."  
  
"Don't matter. But the movie changed my life. Ha!" Aunt Estelle slapped her knee, causing Xander to jump. "That Cary Grant, boy! Anyway, I laughed. And I laughed some more. When I came out of the theater I was still laughing. And by the time I got home I realized I wasn't feeling sorry for myself anymore."  
  
Xander was interested in spite of himself. "So, you're saying - "  
  
Aunt Estelle sighed dramatically. "You ain't none too bright, are you, boy? Self-pity and laughter can't exist at the same time. It's impossible. Now, I don't know what your friend's problem is. It might actually be clinical. But, in my case it was pure self-pity. After that day, I knew I had a tool to fight it, that I didn't have to give in to it. So anytime I started feeling depressed or sorry for myself, I'd go to a funny picture show. Worked every time." Aunt Estelle looked at Xander keenly, knowing she had his full attention. "The healing power of laughter was a cliché even back in my day, but it works. I've experienced it. I've seen it work in other folks."  
  
Xander was rapidly thinking. "I guess maybe I could pick up some videos. What do you think I should get?"  
  
"How the hell should I know? Whatever you think is funny. I was always partial to the Marx Brothers, myself. Steve Martin's pretty funny. Maybe that Ace Ventura fellow. I suppose there's always that dirty picture all you young kids are so keen on, "American Pie".  
  
The sudden image of his great-aunt chortling over certain scenes in "American Pie" gave Xander's skin a bad case of the crawlies. Aunt Estelle smirked. "I may be old, boy, but I ain't dead. Oh, and another thing. Laughter needs to be shared. So don't just hand her a video and say, 'Here, go laugh it up'. Have some friends over and bust a gut together." At Xander's blank look, she snorted. "Boy, you sure do have a "deer in the headlights" look about you. Haven't you ever seen a movie in a theater, laughing so hard you thought you'd pee your pants, only to see it by yourself at home and wonder why you ever thought it was funny?"  
  
Xander smiled slowly in understanding. Aunt Estelle continued, "Laughter is more potent when it is shared. Sometimes something's funny because everyone's laughing."  
  
Xander thought seriously about all she had told him. He had to admit, a lot of it made sense. It was worth a try. "Thanks, Au - uh, Estelle, I really -"  
  
"ANYA!" Aunt Estelle suddenly shouted, causing Xander to practically jump out of his skin. "Where the hell is my lunch?"  
  
"Coming, Aunt Estelle."  
  
"Don't call me that!"  
  
  
  
  
  
That afternoon, Xander was a man on a mission. First, he contacted the whole gang and told them to all meet at his place that same evening. He even went by Spike's crypt. In spite of his own personal feelings, Xander had observed that Buffy seemed to feel more comfortable when Spike was around. Needless to say, Spike was rather surprised by the invite, but promised to participate for Buffy's sake.  
  
Next, Xander set out to find just the right videos to rent. The clerk at the store was eager to help and had some good ideas: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective", "National Lampoon's Animal House", "Airplane" and "All of Me" with Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin. After much searching he even managed to find a Marx Brothers movie and "Arsenic and Old Lace" as a homage to Aunt Estelle.  
  
That evening, after the last person had arrived, Willow asked the question on everyone's mind, "So, Xander, what's up?"  
  
"Tonight we are having a funny movie marathon. Fun and frivolity for the whole family."  
  
Buffy had a decidedly pained expression. "Uh, Xander, I'm not really in the mood."  
  
"That's just it. Lately, none of us have really been "in the mood". And tonight we're going to do something about it. I have popcorn, I have cold drinks in the frig and I have approximately 12 hours of mad laughter and hilarity. And there's one house rule. Nobody leaves until everyone laughs." Xander looked pointedly at Buffy.  
  
Buffy simply sighed. "Then it's going to be a long night."  
  
They all settled down comfortably to watch Xander's selections. One movie followed the other. Everybody laughed, ate some popcorn and laughed some more. Everybody that is, except one. But, suddenly everyone stopped laughing. Because, suddenly, Buffy started laughing.  
  
Xander could never remember later exactly which joke or gag or scene had managed to break through Buffy's barriers. He was too busy enjoying what he saw. The sight of Buffy giggling, then laughing out loud, her head thrown back, her face flushed, her eyes shining, was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in ages. Spike and Dawn, sitting side by side on the floor, seemed mesmerized, Dawn with tears in her eyes. The others simply gaped at her. Finally, Xander grinned and began laughing, too. One by one each member of the Scooby Gang joined in and laughter rang through the apartment until the wee hours of the morning.  
  
Xander knew this breakthrough didn't solve Buffy's problems. Not by a long shot. But it was a start.  
  
"Thanks, Aunt Estelle. We owe you one."  
  
End 


End file.
